Filler nozzle adjusting assembly for filling machine



June 20, 1961 A. E. WHITECAR 2,989,092

FILLER NOZZLE ADJUSTING ASSEMBLY FOR FILLING MACHINE Filed Feb, 9, 1959 3 SheetsSheet 1 INVENTOR.

ALTEN E WHITECAR FIG. l. a, I w+i amf ATTOR NEYS June 20, 1961 A. E. WHITECAR FILLER NOZZLE ADJUSTING ASSEMBLY FOR FILLING MACHINE Filed Feb 9, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 E VH WW 8 N E M Y B ATTORNEYS June 20, 1961 A. E. WHITECAR 2,989,092

FILLER NOZZLE ADJUSTING ASSEMBLY FOR FILLING MACHINE Filed Feb 9, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 2 f7 /A L\ Fa Q? F I G 5 INVENTOR.

ALTEN E. WHITECAR BY I ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,989,092 FILLER NOZZLE ADJUSTING ASSEMBLY FOR FILLING MACHINE Alten E. Whitecar, Westville, N.J., assignor to Smith,

Kline & French Laboratories, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Feb. 9, 1959, Ser. No. 792,155 4 Claims. (Cl. 141-152) This invention relates generally to machines for filling containers with liquid by the aid of suction, withdrawing the air from the containers and allowing the liquid to enter under atmospheric pressure, and more particularly to improvements in means for sealing the containers against atmosphere during the filling operation.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a machine of the type aforesaid with means for adjusting the several container sealing means of the machine simultaneously in one operation, instead of individually.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter, it being understood that the present invention consists in the combination, construction, location and relative arrangement of parts, all as will be more fully described hereinafter, as is shown in the accompanying drawings, and as will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a view of a machine constructed in accordance with and embodying the principles of the present invention, the view being a partial elevation, with fragments thereof shown in section;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged plan view on line 22 of FIGURE 1, showing the filler nozzle adjusting assembly of the present invention detached from the rest of the machine; and

FIGURES 3, 4 and are enlarged vertical sections respectively on lines 3--3, 44 and 5-5 of FIGURE 2,

The present invention is concerned principally with improvements in fitting machines of the type disclosed by US. Letters Patent No. 1,763,240, issued to Karl Kiefer, June 10, 1930, to which document reference may be had for the description and operation of all parts not specifically covered herein.

Referring particularly to FIGURE 1, in accordance with the disclosure of the aforementioned patent, a fixed hub 3 revolubly receives a column 4, which has affixed thereto a table 8 mounting a plurality of guide-hubs 9. Suitably mounted upon the latter respectively are a plurality of lifters 11 for carrying containers A, which latter are to be filled. A member 30 afiixed to the upper end of the column 4 mounts a spider or nozzle mount 32 and a valve head 34. Suitably mounted upon the spider 32 are a plurality of filler heads 33 from which depend filling tubes 40. Connecting the filling heads 33 to the valve head 34 are tubes 43, and connecting the valve head 34 to a vacuum pump 49' are pipes 46 and 49 having a trap 46' connected therebetween. Within the column 4 is a stationary liquid conductor 59 connected (by means not shown) to a reservoir 56, and extending downwardly into the conductor 59 is a liquid conductor 60.

Fitted over a lower end portion of each filling tube 40 is an elastic air-tight container connection 50. When the bottles A are raised by the lifters 11, they receive the portions of the tubes 40 extending below the elastic members 50, and the latter seal the containers against atmosphere. In the operation of the prior art machine, each elastic member 50 requires separate adjustment axially of its tube 40 and separate clamping thereof in adjusted position. Since the filling heads are substantial in number, the operation of adjusting the several filling "lce heads can be time consuming to the point of materially slowing up production. A machine constructed in accordance with and embodying the principles of the present invention avoids the aforesaid disadvantage by omitting the several clamps and substituting therefor means operable for adjusting all of the elastic members 50 at one and the same time, said means being the filler nozzl adjusting assembly now to be described in detail.

The assembly, generally designated 70. is annular in form, being positioned immediately below the spider 32 and concentric with the column 4. A first annulus 72 is provided with an externally threaded cylindrical portion 74 and a flange 76 at an end of and extending radially inwardly from the cylindrical portion 74. Embracing the annulus 72 is a second annulus 78 provided with an internally threaded cylindrical portion 80 and a flange 82 at one end of and extending radially both inwardly and outwardly from the cylindrical portion 80. The first and second annuli are interengaged through the medium of the threads aforesaid. Fixedly seated upon the upper surface of the inner marginal portion of the flange 82 is a third annulus in the form of a ring gear 84 having teeth formed in the inner marginal portion thereof. Underlying the flange 82 is a fourth annulus in the form of a flat ring 86 having afiixed to circumferentially equally spaced inner marginal portions thereof four upright bracket members 88, as by studs 90. lournaled in the upper end portions of the bracket 88 are rollers 92 overhanging and bearing upon the upper surface of the ring gear 84. It will be evident that the second, third and fourth annuli are so arranged that there can be no axial relative movement with respect to each other. The brackets 88 are provided with base portions 94 that abut the inner circumferentially extending edge of the flange 82, in consequence of which the fiat ring 86 is secured against movement cross-axially relative to the flange 82. Referring particularly to FIGURE 5, secured to diametrically opposite areas of the flange 76, as by studs 96, are a pair of key or spline members 98 that extend downwardly freely through recesses 100 formed in the inner marginal portion of the fiat ring 86, in consequence of which the latter cannot be turned about the axis of the assembly relative to the first annulus 72, while it is free to b moved axially relative to the first annulus 72.

The assembly 70 is afiixed to the spider 32 through the medium of studs 102 projected through the flange 76 and threaded into the spider. Clamped between the spider and the flange 76 is the inner marginal portion of a sheet metal dust cap 104 which extends downwardly over the outside of the annulus 78.

Referring particularly to FIGURES 2 and 4, meshing with the ring gear 84 is a pinion 106 secured to the lower end portion of an upright shaft 108, and provided with a hub 110 resting upon an inner marginal area of the flat ring 86. An intermediate portion of the shaft 108 is journaled in a bearing 112 secured to the undersurface of the flange 76 of the annulus 72. From the bearing 112, the shaft 108 extends upwardly freely through the spider 32 and into the lower end of a tubular main body part 114 of a key, generally designated 116. provided with a handle 118. The shaft 108 is provided with a cross-axially extending pin the opposite end portions of which are removably fitted respectively into open slots 122 formed in the lower terminal portion of the main body part 114 of the key 116. The part 114 is journaled in a bearing 124 affixed to a spacer ring 126. It will be observed that the shaft 108 and the main body part 114 of the key 116 are slidably received respectively by the bearings 112 and 124, in consequence of which they may be shifted vertically with respect to the bearings.

The flat ring 86 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially equally spaced open notches 128, there being 3 one such notch for each filler head 33. The tubes 40 depending from the filler heads 33 extend freely respectively through the notches 128, and the elastic members 50 fitted over the tubes 40 underlie the notched fiat ring areas, each being fitted with a rigid collar 129 abutting the overlying notched fiat ring area. the collar being employed to distribute the pressure evenly all around the elastic member. When the bottles A are raised by the lifters 11, they receive the portions of the tubes 40 extending below the elastic members 50 and coact with the flat ring 86 to compress the elastic members 50, thereby to effect sealing of the containers against atmosphere.

The filler nozzle adjusting assembly of the invention is carried by the spider 32 and, as indicated hereinbefore, is mounted to turn with the spider 32, column 4 and table 8 as a unit. In the event that the vertical spacing of the elastic members 50 from the elevated lifters 11 is not that desired for effecting proper sealing of the containers by the elastic members 50, the spacing may be varied as desired merely by turning the key 116. For example, when the key is turned, the latter turns the ring gear 84, which causes the second annulus 78 to turn with respect to the flat ring 86, which is supported on annulus 78 by rollers 92 but is secured against turning by the spline members 98. As the second annulus 78 turns, its vertical position varies as it is threaded more or less upon the first annulus 72. Thus, the second annulus 78, fiat ring 86, ring gear 84, pinion 106. shaft 108 and key 116 shift vertically relative to the first annulus 72 as a unit to posi tion notches 128 at the desired elevation. The direction of the movement, of course, depends upon the direction in which the handle of the key 118 is turned. Referring particularly to FIGURE 5, one of the spline members 98 may be provided with a scale to serve as a guide when an adjustment is made. The key 116, it will be observed, is arranged so that it may be removed.

It Will be understood, of course, that the present invention is susceptible of various changes and modifications which may be made from time to time without departing from the general principles or real spirit of the invention, and accordingly it is intended to claim the same broadly, as well as specifically, as indicated by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a filling machine, the combination comprising a frame structure including a horizontally extending filler nozzle mount having a vertically extending central axis. a plurality of filler nozzles distributed about said central axis each including a tubular member depending from said mount, and an elastic member shiftably fitted over said tubular member and adapted for sealing a container against atmosphere when the open mouth of the container is pressed firmly against the lower extremity thereof, and a filler nozzle adjusting assembly including a pair of threadedly engaged members, one of the latter being affixed to said nozzle mount and the other being turnable about said central axis relative to said nozzle mount, means for turning the last mentioned of said members about said central axis thereby to shift the same vertically, an annulus mounted upon said vertically shiftable member for vertical shifting movement therewith, and means for securing said annulus against turning movement about said central axis relative to said nozzle mount, said annulus being provided with means adapted respectively for overlying said elastic members thereby to limit approach thereof to said nozzle mount.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the turning means includes a ring gear aflixed to the turnable member, and a meshing pinion disposed within said ring gear.

3. The combination defined in claim I wherein the member affixed to the nozzle mount includes an externally threaded cylindrical portion, the turnable member includes an internally threaded cylindrical portion and a flange extending radially inwardly therefrom, and the annulus is carried by a plurality of rollers in turn carried by said flange.

4. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein the means for securing the annulus against turning movement about the central axis, relative to the nozzle mount, includes a plurality of axially fixed upright key members mounted upon and depending from the member afiixed to the nozzle mount, extending freely through the turnable member, and slidably, keyingly projecting through the annulus.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,690,865 

